An effort to leverage the buying power of gays and lesbians is leading to Long Island’s first gay-friendly business directory, to be launched Nov. 13.
The directory will have not just gay-owned businesses, but also gay-friendly companies, an idea from Robert Vitelli, director of development at the Long Island GLBT Community Center in Bay Shore, after he had enough of facing insensitive experiences “every day” as a consumer.
“If I’m going to spend my buying power somewhere, I want to spend it where they understand who I am,” Vitelli said. “If you want to chase the gay dollar, you have to recognize us.”
The venture, called Partners in Pride, is a new program under the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth nonprofit in Bay Shore. So far, several dozen businesses have signed up to be in the directory, but hundreds are expected to join in after word gets out. It requires membership fees of $175 to $2,500, but discounts will be given to those signing up by Nov. 7.
The launch party will be held 6-8 p.m. at the Four Food Studio in Melville.
Supporters see the directory as a marketing tool and business boost to gay-friendly companies.
“We get so many phone calls: ‘Do you know of a gay-friendly doctor’ or a ‘gay electrician’ . . ., “ said David Kilmnick, executive director of Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth. “Too often people assume everyone is heterosexual.”
He remembers when he and his partner were applying for a mortgage with a loan officer: “Right in front of our faces, he said, ‘Oh, where’s your wife?’ “
---ELLEN YAN
Comments (1)
This is great news and a smart one by the organization. The gay market on Long Island can be an elusive one and this could be the entry into an untapped and lucrative one. Thanks for reporting the story.